A Slave and a Wave
by drakeara
Summary: Compleated!The war is over. After 101 years of endless war, Its finaly over. But peace is somthing that Katara is never allowed for long. Set a year after the end of Avatar. Contains Zutara. Mature for later violence and sexual referances.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Katara sat to her side on a large firenation ship. She had been prisoner here for about 5 months, as a slave, and knew that soon she too would be sold to another cruel, unforgiving master. The deck was warm for just beneath her was the engine of the huge ship. The night was bright, but the moon was small, so Katara of the Southern Water Tribe felt a bit safer. Tonight they were scrubbing the decks, again, after a massive shipment exchange. They had a lot less slave to help her, but a lot more money to pay the crew. On this night, Katara could see something in the stars, a sign that things were going to get only brighter.

The young lady had been snatched from her homelands only a year after the Avatars grand victory against the dangerous fire nation. She wondered how Sokka coped with her disappearance, did he tell Aang? Did he tell the new Fire Lord? Were they all looking for her now? Katara doubted they did, perhaps they presumed her as dead, as they would have found her by now. The ship she was on was huge and hard to miss. But then again, she could have been below deck when they passed. Katara sighed and looked down at her lap and the ragged clothes on it. Her once proud fishing clothes were now bleached by the sun a little and had lost their pride. Life, it seemed, was in a very cruel mood lately.

So beneath the quarter moon, a one contented world hero scrubbed the wooden flooring of a firenation, slave merchant ship, half hearted and homesick. But, even though the others were elsewhere on the deck, she wasn't totally alone, for some time she wasn't and for some time she won't be, for inside of her teenage womb was her first child. She had no idea of the identity of the father, but, for the time being, she didn't care. The being growing inside of her kept her mind off of the severity of her situation. The hormones kept her and the men around her on their toes, the girls also showed her a low level of respect, on comparison to the respect that they show the master. One more thing that this child done was to keep her spirit in tact whist others was broken.

In her boredom, Katara bended a small ribbon of water from the bucket of soapy water she was using to wash the floor. A dirty hand smashed through her little bit of entertainment on this completely boring ship.

"No bending whilst you're cleaning!" Snapped the deep voice of the slave driver. Katara turned back to her brush and scrubbed angrily on the floor.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Run, run! Don't stop Running!_

_"Get back here! I said stop" A mans voice, her chasing me, I mustn't stop!_

_He's going faster, can't run any faster. Don't let him catch me, Please, (moon) and (ocean), don't let him catch me!_

_Must keep running, he's so close, home is so close. He has jumped at me, he caught me._

_Blackness…_

_Now I am in the fire nation, it is night; the moon is small, new. Aang, Sokka, Toph and all the rest are in the palace. _

_I am walking in the city, I feel safe._

_Someone is following. They follow me down a dark alley._

_Whoever is following me pins me to the wall, I can't see his face. I try to scream but I can't!_

Katara shots out of the sleep with a start, sweat was poring down her face as she calms herself down. Just a dream. The water tribe girl presses her hand against abdomen. Not a dream, a memory. Katara wipes her hands over her eyes, she then realised she was being watched. One of the younger slaves was looking at the, the eternal sadness filming in her olive eyes.

"Don't worry about me, just go back to sleep." She whispers to the girl, her name is Rocci and she is a dark skinned earth kingdom girl. Around her slim neck was a chocker, similar to Katara's. It was a green ribbon with the earth kingdom symbol etched on a clay disk in mud brown. Rocci smiles falsely to the water girl, and peels an earthy red bang of hair from in front of her thin face.

"You were having a nightmare, weren't you?" asked the earth bender softly, but already knowing the answer

"Yes…" The girl smiled again in a sweet but sad manner.

"My momma use to make me talk to her when I had a bad dream…You can do the same for me if it makes you fell better?" Katara thanked the girl, but instead of talking about her own nightmare, she asked the twelve year old if she missed her mother. Rocci nodded to Katara, eye's glistening slightly with tears. "My necklace was the last thing that Momma gave to be before the solders killed her."

"What solders?"

"The Fire ones…"

"The Fire nation killed my mother too, along time ago…"

"Is that what you were having a bad dream about?" Katara shook her head and explained her dream as simply as she could. "Is that man why you've got a baby in you?" Katara nodded slowly

"…But I'm not angry at him for it, oddly. Most women would be… But he has given me a proper excuse to defend myself and for the Masters men not to try anything with me."

"How long until the baby is born?" The pre-teen was smart for her age. Katara was already 7 months in.

"8 weeks. You are called Rocci, if I remember right" The girl opposite her nodded

"What you gonna call it?" Katara told her that she hadn't thought of a name yet. After asking Katara's name, the small girl whispered to her

"Can you be my new mommy?" That made the waterbender smile; she opened her arms up to her, and nodded. Then the other slave ran over to Katara, and snuggled up to her new mother beneath the thin blanket. "Momma…" she mumbled before the two drifted into a deep sleep.

The next morning, the slaves were moving boxes below the decks of the ship after a trade was made of stocks with another ship. Katara struggled to life a heavy crate off of the ground when an unknown voice gasped.

"A pregnant woman shouldn't be lifting such heavy boxes." A much stronger pair of arms pulled the crate away from Katara, and set it back on the deck. The girl who spoke looked about 17 years old, her skin was pale and her eyes were golden. Even with out judging her clothing, the girl was clearly fire nation. She guided Katara to a seat on the side and ordered softly "Sit and rest. You're a pregnant woman and shouldn't be lifting such weights." Katara had never seen this girl in her life, or such loving warmth in a fire nation woman's eyes "My name is Suzu Eika, but everyone calls me Condor. What's yours?"

"Katara" Suddenly someone came storming over

"What do you think you are doing, slave, get back to work!" It was the Master! He glared at the two of them. "Condor, make her get back to work!"

"No, Gouki. You may be my brother, but that gives you no right to tell me what to do!" Katara didn't know what to be more shocked about; the Master's real name is Gouki, that someone as friendly as Condor could be related to someone as heartless as the Master, or that someone actually defended her and back chatted him.

"But _she_ is a _slave_! It's her job to work"

"Katara is a pregnant woman and should not be made to life heavy loads. I will take her with me, and one other of the choice and other slaves in better heath can do this job!" Gouki then aloud her to have her wish, but was reluctant about it. Typically, the slave that Katara picked was her newfound friend, Rocci.

Condor's chamber was resonbly large and decorated with items from all four of the elements. Katara recognised some water tribe weapons nailed to a shelf in the far wall. Her bed was a simple bed coverd in red sheets.

"Take a seat" offered the dark haired lady. Katara pearched on the only seat in the room, a comfortable earth kingdom one, whilst Rocci sat crossed legged at her feet. Suzu flumpt down on her comfortable bed and smiled at the two, If she didn't know any better, she'd say the two were related. This she found quite a cute image, almost, but as slaves they shouldn't even flock together like that. "My brother is a cruel man. He as the one you know as the Master dosn't even deserve to be in the presence of women, but he's somewhat confused right now so, you's two can be my friend on this ship. You'll keep me happy and I'll make sure you's two don't go into the other horrific lives of slave. Deal?" Rocci simply nodded blankly but Katara spoke for the two of them.

"That would be wonderful thank you miss Condor"

"just Condor. But your welcome all the same" The three of them smiled to one another, life was looking up for a little while.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Katara sat on the edge of her new lady's comfortable bed in a towel, repairing her newly cleaned robes after her bath. It was a long, well needed bath that Condor aloud her to have. That bath was bliss. Currently, Rocci was in the fresh, warm water of the bath and, apparently, quite overwhelmed with how contenting the oils and smells were. But Condor, meanwhile, was in the captain's study, planning on where the ship was to go next. Some argued that they should go to the firenation, sell some slaves there, and visit the families that the crew had. Others felt that they should go over to New Ozai, and do trade with the slaves more safely there. But the captain, Condor and the Master all agreed to head towards the completely firenation free south pole. There they could capture more slaves (much to Condors dislike), buy or steal furs and perhaps try and get some more water benders among the fire benders on the ship. The group of high ranking people on the ship then split to there separate duties and to prepare the ship, other crew and the many slaves of the change in direction and pending change in temperatures.

Upon hearing the news, Katara's mind ran through a wave of emotions. Firstly she was glad to be in more familiar waters, but then she realised that she wouldn't be able to see anyone that she cared about, other than Rocci and Condor. This led the Water Tribes woman to become angry then finally turned to worry. What if they did raid the village and take, or worse kill, Sokka, Toph, her father, Suki, Aang and her fellow tribe's members? Condor noticed her reaction quicker than the fire nation girl realised herself.

"Are you O.K, K?" K? When did she get _that_ nickname? It didn't matter right now.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." She was given a look by her friends that meant 'I don't believe you' "The South pole was where I came from, I'm just kind of frightened for my friend and family back there if this ship returns." This was said in a soft and worried voice. She looked down at her newly repaired clothes and told herself not to cry repeatedly in her head. A strong but cool arm slinked its way over her shoulders and pulled her slightly closer to the body it belonged to. It was Condor's arm. As the girl with the name like a bird of prey hugged her friend gently, Katara thought. Not of being homesick, or worried for her brother and her tribe, but of the fact that the big hearted fire nation woman could be so physically cold, when every other fire nation person she was around was warm.

"I can understand why you are worried; sometimes I worry about my brother too. I will not let them take anyone else, maybe I'll even be able to bribe by brother to let you two go." She smiled hopefully down at Katara. "But I'll be coming with you if you do go, it'll be too sad to lose you."

In a huff, Gouki barged into his sister's room and saw her comforting the pregnant slave that she had become protective over. He ignored that and demanded in a very loud voice:

"Give me these slaves; I need them to do some cleaning!" Suzu Eika glared up at the master with sinister gold eyes. "We are short of slave from that illness that is spreading among them."

"No" Snapped the black haired girl, placing one hand strongly on Rocci's blond hair. Gouki grabbed both slaves' wrists and began to drag them away; Smoke was beginning to come out of his sharp nose. Suddenly, Condor snapped a water whip from a bowl in the room and cracked it across the Masters wrists, narrowly missing Katara and Rocci's fingertips. Katara stared at Condor in shock, she was a water bender? But she looked so much like a fire bender? "Outside. Now!" ordered Suzu Eika quickly and angrily. A smirk appeared on the Masters face.

The two siblings kneeled with their backs in the traditional Agni Kai format and clothes, Gouki wore just some simple black trousers and Condor wore identical black trousers and a chest-wrap made from the same material. An embroidered length of fabric was draped over their shoulders. A large crowd had gathered around the two opposing siblings to watch the interesting fight. They rose in unison and turned to face the opponent, letting the silk cloth fall from their shoulders. The fight began. Condor pulled some water directly out of the sea with incredible speed whist her brother readied an attack using fire. Their attacks collided with each other, sending steam into the heavens. Although the Masters moves were powerful and quick, Katara couldn't help but watch the robust and fire bending moves that Condor used to create her water bending. It was infinitely unusual how the water bender fights like her fire bending brother, but it also should be understood that the young fire nation woman would have never seen a water bender master in her fire nation home. Quickly, the Master slipped beneath his sister's guard and blasted a strong fire punch onto her torso; the smell of burning fabric filled the air. Condor screamed in pain but, using the water to add strength, blasted a punch in the same place on him, the water pushed him back and he slammed into the cold wall some several meters behind him. Gouki then collapsed onto his front and lay there. Suzu Eika walked up beside her brother, rolled him over onto his back using her foot and a small stream of water bent around it, and stood proudly above him. She got herself in a stance with one fist pointing down at him, and shot two needles of ice at his neck. The landed either side of it, unbelievably close to his flesh.

"Take him to the healers, they can start off the process, I'll finish him off later." She ordered to some of the crew who had been watching. She then turned and headed back to her quarters with Katara and Rocci following close behind.

Slowly unravelling some of the charred, black chest-wrap in front of the mirror, Condor winced at the painful burn mark on her chest, just below her bust. She looked up at her face in the mirror and grabbed some rags beside the bowl on the desk between her and the mirror. She then held a little at her nose to control the flow of the nose bleed and, with the rest and the other and, dabbed the wet rags on the cuts that had been formed on her face.Katara's blue eyes stayed level with the cruel burn, that was slowly beginning to trickle blood, and gained the courage to say:

"I can heal that if you want"

"Don't worry, I can sort it out myself" Condor then dipped the hand that wasn't holding a reddening rag to her nose, and pressed it against her stomach. A familiar blue glow surrounded it as the burn began to vanish. Katara suddenly felt herself thinking _What next, Vine bending?_


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Katara cocked her head at Condor as if asking wordlessly 'How do you know healing?'. Condor dried off her strong slender hands and slipped on a man's shirt over her head, she then pulled the rest of the chest-wrap out from underneath it. The Master's sister then turned towards Katara and smiled.

"You probably want to know how I know how to heal." Katara nodded "It's quite a long story, are you sure you want to hear it?" Condor sat down on the edge of her bed as Katara perched on the seat behind her. The water tribe girl the nodded again as her newly adopted daughter scrabbled onto her lap. "It all started about two years ago. Our ship was in the northern water tribes waters when we were attacked by a large pirate ship. I was in a fight with a fire bender pirate, and he slipped completely passed my guard, I didn't know how to do the Jet Punch back then. It shot me right back into the wall of the city and straight through it, right by the top. Miraculously, I survived the blast, collision and fall. When I landed, a healer from the tribe found me and took pity on me. She had her son carry me back to her house and she healed me, all of my cuts, bruises, broken bones, everything. When I was strong enough to sit up by myself, I told her that I was a water bender and that I would love to learn healing. The woman then tested me to see if I was a healer, and I was! So she trained me to become a healer, and I taught her son the Fire discipline style. When I left, I swore to her that I'd let no one who is from the water tribes come to any harm."

"Is that why you won't let your brother near me?" asked Katara as Condor finished her tale.

"That and you are a heavily pregnant woman. Who's the father anyway, does he even know you're pregnant?" answered condor with a grin.

"Why'd you help me then?" Piped up Rocci, looking with a confused expression into Suzu Eika gold eyes.

"I didn't on my own, for all truths be told, it was K who chose to keep you with her. But with the Agni Kai, you've kind of grown on me. Condor flashed a big grin and Rocci grinned back. Suddenly, her expression changed and a more thought filled one took its place. Her golden orbs remained locked in place with the young slave before her olive ones, as if she was studying the very soul of the twelve year old "Can you bend?" Rocci shrugged her shoulders, in able to break to powerful eye contact from the water bending, fire nation lady. "Try and find you Chi, If you can then tell me its colour."

"How?" Asked Rocci, just above a whisper. Condor instructed her to close her eyes and be calm. She did so immediately. Suddenly an image of a flowing river of stone-brown swam before her. "Brown, like stones…" She said quietly again.

"Earth kingdom. Can you see anything else?" Around the river were stone, they began to fly around her

"…Stones…Flying stones…."

"You are an earth bender." Rocci's eye's fluttered open and smiled in a sweet way.

"Just like my mother and my father." Condor smiled slightly sadly at the small girl.

It was late, very late. Katara lay on her mat beneath a new blanket in the slave's sleeping area. She smiled carelessly up to the dull, grey roof above her and felt the moon and the sea tugging at her heart. It was time to bend. Katara snuck past the sleeping guard by the door and darted up to the deck. Pulling a snake of water out of the dark sea and spinning it about herself, Katara of the water tribe smiled as she saw she wasn't alone. Over on the other side of the giant deck was Condor, not in her usual red travelling robes, but in her Agni Kai pants from the match with her broth only a few days ago, a white chest-wrap and long, fingerless gloves that stretched up to her armpits in a silvery-blue material. Condor's movements were not as ridged as they normal were, but softer and like dancing. Katara walked over, orb of water in hand, and joined in the elegant routine wordlessly. The dance that the two teens were performing was known as Birds of Water, which was an elegant dance that told the tale of a phoenix that was born from a swan. As they drew to the end of the routine, Katara doubled over in pain, clutching at her huge abdomen. Her waters then broke, the baby was coming! _My baby, but its a whole month early!_ Thought Katara rolling onto her back, a pair of cold hands clutched onto her shoulders and a strong voice ordered her with concern in it.

"Stay calm, Katara. Breath, breath. Someone help us!" Condor was leaning over her as she called out for a healer. One ran out on deck, and found them quickly in the strong moonlight. The one that all crew knew as the master's only sister and last living relative looked up from the face of the withering slave beneath her. "I think she's gone into labour" It took a while, but soon the baby was delivered, right out on the middle of the deck. The sun was slowly beginning to rise in the empty sky as Katara was handed her small son. She smiled down at her son as his blue eyes darted over his mothers face. His skin was a lighter brown than her own and layer of black that would later become thick hair. He reminded her of someone, three some ones in fact, maybe even four some ones if you count of her brother.

"He reminds me of...Zuko!" said the water tribe mother in a quiet voice.

"What, Prince Zuko?" Condor shook it off after she asked. Zuko was still prince whilst his uncle held the throne, on Zuko's own orders. "What are you going to call him" Her voice was loud above the baby's cries.

"Kazumi, I shall call him Kazumi" She smiled down at her premature son as he cried in an unusually quiet voice.

"Don't you think you should give him his first feed?" asked Suzu Eika firmly yet quietly. Katara cringed and gasped:

"Not up here!" Condor then got Katara to return with her to her room. She then left Katara there on her own to find and most likely wake Rocci

"Wake up, Rocci! Katara's had her baby!" Cheeped the waterbender in the young girl's sensitive ears. Rocci shot up and looked wide eyed at her waker

"She has? What is it? What has she called it? Can I go see?" Rocci's childish voice squeaked out quickly. Condor nodded and the earth bender was off. She shot out of the door, still in her sleeping rags, down the corridor and right towards Condors dorm. She nearly crashed right into a couple of men who had delivered a spare bed to that room. Creeping in the room was the slowest and most careful thing that she had done. On the red seat was Katara, a sleeping baby in a blue blanket lay on her lap, she smiled up to Rocci who was creeping up to the two of them. In a swift movement, the young girl had perched next to her and studied the boy's elegant sleeping features. A cute grin had crept over Rocci's cute features as she looked at the one she was going to call her own little brother. She had never had a baby brother and when Katara told her his name her face glowed. Kazumi was a perfect name. Rocci hugged Katara whist resting one had on the bundle that was Kazumi and thought that all that her family was missing was a Daddy, That couldn't be too hard, could it?

Meanwhile, Condor crept out of the slaves' room and began to make her way slowly down the corridors in a bored manor. Unbeknown to all, her brother was awake and watching through all of it, including the dance. Master Gouki waited until she was in a shadowy, quiet corridor to pounce. He wrapt his strong arms around her and dragged her away into the empty room nearby. About an hour later, Condor managed to stumble out of the room. Her hair was a mess and some of her clothes were ripped, tears had streaked her face and were still falling. A Heartfelt sob escaped her and she ran back to her own room in tears. The Water bender darted around the door, slammed it behind her and sank to the floor crying. Katara looked up in shock from Kazumi, who slept soundly on her bed, to Condor as she curled in front of the door in tears. The sixteen year old mother walked over to the girl who helped her so often and squatted down before her, placing a gentle hand on her slumped shoulder and looked sadly at her.

"What wrong, Condor?" She asked in a soft voice. Suzu Eika looked up from her knees and bit her lip.

"It's my brother…" She said in a minimal voice. Katara presumed for a moment that something had happened to the Master. "He...He raped me…" This made Katara gasp. She could never imagine any brother doing such a terrible thing to his sister. Keeping clear eye contact with her, Katara stated plainly,

"You need to tell someone who you can trust in the crew, there is little that I can do." The problem with that was that he had the entire crew on his side. But Condor didn't say this, only devised her own plan.

When Condor filially manages to force herself to go back up on deck and into her brother's view, she saw a pleasant sign and nip in the air. Ice was surrounding the ship and they were in South Pole waters. She gasp in joy and went to tell Katara, her plan was soon to be realised.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was late night again. Condor, Katara, Rocci and Kazumi were all on deck and hiding in the shadows. Condor had made an alliance with the cook to drug her brother's food so that he slept whilst she followed her plan. She had given the two slave each a comfortable parka and a blanket that use to be her own to Kazumi. The blanket was simple, grey wolf-pig furs that use to belong to her own pet. Her father had put it down when she was still young and she was devastated. To keep her happy, he skinned it and gave the fur to her, so that she may remember him. Condor had it ever since. The small baby snuggled quietly in the warm fur. With Katara's help, Rocci holding the baby, Condor lowered the small boat to the water, She then lowered Katara down to the boat, then Rocci and then Kazumi. Using water bending, she lowered herself quietly onto the boat and got them selves away with water bending from her and Katara. They then vanished into the overcast night.

As they hit the cold ground of the snowy landscape, Katara couldn't help but grin. She had not only got home but had got free as well. It took them a few hours to get there, so morning was dawning. The got out of the boat and started to head in the direction of light in the near distance. They trudged through the thin snow and ice beneath at as the approached the repaired village that was Katara's home. The water tribe girl's eyes lit up as they got closer and closer to her home, but Rocci only become more tired. Condor saw this and held onto the young minded girls had encouragingly. Sitting in one of the watch-posts was one of the solders of the tribe; he saw the group trudging towards them and instantly recognised Katara. He ran from his tower to wake up Hakoda and tell him of her return. Hakoda awoke quickly and ran to the wall, he leapt over it and saw his own daughter. He gasped out in joy and ran towards her, as did she. The two hugged and were close to tears. Hakoda pulled a little away from his daughter and looked down at his grandson in her arms and smiled. After Katara introduced her two new friends to her father, they were led back into the village. Orders were sent around at men on guard and working late to prepare rooms for Condor and Rocci, a bed for Kazumi.

"Send a bird to the avatar, Sokka, the Fire Lord and his nephew that the search can be finished for my daughter has been returned!" Ordered Hakoda joyful. A messenger bird was soon sent out to seek out the avatar's flying bison. After the early hectic rush of Katara's sudden arrival, all started to return to their beds and homes. Katara was back in her own room with her son in the room opposite to it. Rocci and Condor was temporarily given the same room.

On a clear day, Rocci was playing just outside of the wall with some of the other children. One of the mothers off the tribe had made her a lovely, green parka that fitted her nicely. Suddenly she saw a great, grey blob heading right at the icy land. Momentarily Rocci froze up but quickly got over it, she darted back over the wall and towards Katara who sat outside with some of the other women of the tribe.

"Mommaaaaaaaaa!" Squealed Rocci "A big blob is trying to get me!"

"A big blob?" asked the water bender in disbelief. Rocci pointed to the vastly growing thing in the sky. It was Appa! Katara leapt her feet and gasped in joy as Aang landed outside of the village wall. She ran to him and embraced him as he slipped off of Appa's back. After the thirteen year old avatar came her brother, he flung his strong arms around her belly. Over the week that Kazumi had been born, Katara had restored a notable edge to her figure. Any fool could have noticed that her figure was abnormal for a nearly nine months pregnant woman.

"Katara, What happened to the baby?" He asked quietly in her ear. As if on cue, Condor walked out of Katara's home with Kazumi buried in that grey fur blanket. She walked up to the perfect image of siblings as Sokka put his sister down, she handed her the baby and stepped back to allow another part of the small being, that she had become so attached to, learn of another part of his family. Discreetly, she was envious. Her own mother had been killed when she was young, her father murdered by Gouki, and with what her own brother had done to her it could be no surprise that Condor was jealous. Someone else was sat upon the back of the giant creature, Condor recognised the famous scar of the prince of the fire nation. She knew that he would later be greeted by Katara in his own way.

Zuko walked broadly around the ice village in the shadows, he presumed that everyone would leave him alone after he greeted Katara in a neural and formal manor. The Fire nation woman who accompanied Katara pounced down from a high place, pinned him against the wall and pressed a blade of ice against his neck.

"Were you the one who raped Katara? Tell me!" His arms were pinned and he was unable to bend his way out of it. "Don't worry I wont tell...You will" Her voice resembled Azula's for a moment

"Yes... I couldn't help myself... She tempted me so much, but she kept on pushing me away! But that's not _my_ son, is he?" Condor grinned and released him as he began to walk away in silence he heard the girl say in a quiet voice

"I think that Kazumi is you son.." He tried to talk to her again, but she had quickly left.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_What to say, what to say. How am I going to tell her?_

_Got to be strong, but not insensitive. Tell her I was a fool, I should have asked her first._

_Gods, when Sokka finds out I know he'll kill me! _These were the kind of thoughts that ran through the momentarily panicky Zuko's mind as he made his way to Katara's home. Somehow the water bending cow with the fire nation appearance had hypnotised him into doing this, making him think it was the 'right thing to do'. He had known Katara well enough to tell that she'd never take this kind of rubbish lightly. Zuko swallowed his fear and stepped into the house made of snow that Katara lived in, when he found her room he cleared his trough and called

"Katara, are you in there?" He heard footsteps behind him and he turned to face the other door. Katara peeped her head around the cloth door of the baby's room.

"oh, yes, come in, Zuko" she stepped aside, pulling open the door so he could enter. Zuko soon found himself a seat on comfortable chair near the small fire. Katara settled her self down on the rocking chair with Kazumi in her arms.

"Katara, it was me who got you pregnant, and I'm sorry. I didn't know what came over me. I-" Zuko stuttered out quickly, but was soon interrupted by Katara.

"Thank you, Zuko."

"What?"

"If you had never given me my...our son, I would most likely be some Gaisher or concubine somewhere. I would never have been able o get home if I weren't pregnant." Zuko was in shock from that act of boldness from Katara. His golden eyes locked in to her elegantly blue ones ant tried to look straight into her soul to see if the water bender was lying. She rose from her seat and walked over to Zuko. "Time to meet you Daddy, Kazumi." She passed the small, three week old child down to Zuko, and knelt down by their side to watch her son's reaction to his father. The fire bender smiled into his first son's intelligent blue eyes and Kazumi smiled back. Katara giggled in joy at her son's first smile, to his father no less. She hugged Zuko as he smiled calmly to his son.

"Uncle will love this." He laughed.

"Yes, I think he will. But a certain warrior brother I know is going to be in a mood with you, so I think that I should tell him." Zuko nodded silently then, a moment later said

"I'm glad I told you"

Meanwhile, Condor was telling Hakoda of her brother's evil and mercilessness. Katara and Sokka's father, as well as some other high ranking men and women of the tribe, just sat and listened to the seventeen year old girl spoke heart fully of the severity of the matter, she only left out the fact that he had raped her for she felt that she just couldn't say such a thing. The tribe's people looked to each other in worry and thought as Suzu Eika told them that her brother may come for them. She explained how he may have caught Katara, as well as many other slaves on his ship and of his main techniques, right down to his fighting style! For a moment the large group sat in silence, thinking of how they could prevent the tribe being obliterated, again. In the end a man named Loki suggested that they gain the help of the Fire Lord, Getting him to arrest the slave driver that was known as Gouki Kuroihaato on account of abduction, harassment, murder, going against the fire lord and other terrible crimes. The sentence too many of them was death.

"I don't think I could just watch my brother die, or just hand him over to be killed. But to save lives, if I must choose him as my one sacrifice, than I shall." Condor Kuroihaato nodded when she finished speaking, not only to reassure the other but herself as well. She then rose from her seat with her eyes closed, discreetly holding back tears, and left them to talk in a calm fashion. As soon as she was out of earshot of the meeting, the young lady bust into tears. She only half didn't know why she was crying, being that her brother deserved his punishment. But he had always been there for her, reassuring her, comforting her, bringing her food, toys, and company when she was sent to the 'Naughty Room' by their parents. He, in all, was a good brother. Condor's family had been in the slave business since long before the war, but then the slaves were given or sold to them legally, not abducted. She slid down a wall behind her and ended up as a crumpled, sobbing heap on the compacted ice floor.

"You're that girl that saved Katara, aren't you?" Said a strong voice nearby. She lifted her head up at the sound of the voice, tear still tricking from her puffy, red eyes and down her smooth cheeks. Condor nodded at the boy who spoke. It was Katara's brother, but what was his name? So something… Souta, Somi Sora. "It's Sokka." Suzu Eika smiled up to him in an apologetic manner.

"Sorry, I always had trouble with names. On the ship, I called half of the men 'Sir', 'Fiery guy' or 'Guy with the curly grey hair and sideburns'" she explained as he laughed about it. Sokka offered a hand to Condor to assist her up, she took it and he pulled her small weight to her feet. As Sokka pulled Condor to her feet she saw what those other girls that Katara told her about saw in him, he was a considerate, strong and lovable man with the hypnotic blue eyes of his sister. But still he wasn't her type, and she wasn't his. "Thanks, and yeah, I helped K. She half needed it."

"I should be thanking you. You saved her. You should be getting medals, saving a saviour of the world." Condor looked confused so he reminded her of how Katara had helped defeat the fire lord, stop the fire nation and train the avatar. Amazement was the expression on Condors pretty face.

"Woah didn't see _that_ coming. Katara seemed such an elegant, gentle creature. Not someone who would attack a powerful and dangerous leader, risking life and limb. But I can somehow see her doing anything for the people she loves…" Sokka smiled at her and pointed out that was the reason why the waterbender that was his sister had helped the Avatar in the beginning. Condor then walked away, still amazed about Katara and had long forgotten her tears.

Katara ran her hand along the slightly messed up braid that reached right down her spine. Beside her stood Gran-Gran, smiling lightly.

"You have such a beautiful son." Smiled Kanna to her granddaughter

"Yes, he has some of the looks of our half of the family, clearly your eyes, Gran Gran." Katara smiled back. Kanna, being the smart woman she was, had long since had a strong idea of who her first great-grandson's father was, but only needed either one of them to fully confirm he suspicions.

"I hope the father is that hansom fire prince boy who I saw go into the baby's room with you" A bright blush formed on the younger woman's elegant features

"Gran Gran!" She exclaimed with a gasp. The old lady waved her finger at her adolescent granddaughter and stated

"Don't act like you haven't noticed not only the similarity between Kazumi and prince Zuko, but the looks he give you." Katara's cringe became deeper and she confessed to what Zuko had confessed only a few hours earlier. "Where is he anyways?" asked Kanna, referring to both Zuko and Kazumi. Zuko, apparently, was showing off to his three week old son with his fire bending skills, in hope that he would have inherited that gene from him and his line. No one could tell for certain back then.

"Hey, K!" Called the unmistakeable voice of Condor, jogging towards them. "Who's this?" She nodded at Kanna in a friendly manner. Katara introduced Kanna to condor and she bowed lowly to Kanna, saying that it was an honour to meet her. She then nodded to them both and grinned. "I'm off to find Kazumi; someone said that he was with the prince. He is bound to be showing off for the baby who's chances of remembering his dad being a show off is slim." Katara and Kanna laughed as the contented Condor trotted off.

A giggle and small hands clapping greeted a clever move from the crowned prince of the fire nation.

"Did you like that, you'll love this!" Zuko shot a blaze of fire into the air and it turned into a phoenix and flew away. Kazumi giggled again. From the corner of a building, Condor snorted. Zuko turned to face her quickly and glared.

"I could do that move _year's ago." _exclaimed Condor, pointing her well shaped nose into the cold air.

"So could I, but I don't gloat about it" With a quick snap of the wrist, Suzu Eika bended a whip of water from the ice beneath him and slapped it across his back. She then grinned at his shocked face. Zuko sent a thin blast of fire at her stomach which she avoided by the skin of her teeth.

"Do you want to make this into an Agni Kai?" Growled Condor at the fire bender. He took a step back and stretched into a low, ready pose. Condor then did the same. She pulled two streams of water from the ice and stood ready. A tapping foot and angry cough stopped them before they started. Katara looked annoyed at both of them as they looked surprised at her.

"What do you two think you are doing? Fighting if front of the baby. That's not a good example to set for Kazumi!" The small baby demonstrated his new trick of clapping again at the two people from his father's nation. Condor and Zuko looked guiltily at the floor whist Suzu Eika blackheart squished and invisible bug with her foot.

"Sorry Katara." They both said in unison, neither would ever keep that promise though. Almost the instant Katara turned away, Kazumi's head poking up over her shoulder, Condor bended a snowball right into Zuko face and began to run away. She wasn't looking were she was going, but shouted over her shoulder "You'll never catch me _daddy_!" She laughed at him but slammed into Sokka, who had appeared around the corner.

"Daddy? How old is this guy?!" Sokka only half joked, pointing at Zuko.

"Not _my_ dad, _Kazumi's_ dad! ... Woops!" Condor realised what she said only too late. Sokka's face went from humoured to angry in almost nothing flat. He began to walk angrily towards Zuko, boomerang drawn, when Condor leapt to her feet and pushed as hard as she could to stop him. "Sokka, Sokka stop! You don't need to hurt him!" Sokka glared down at her.

"Don't need to stop him?" Sokka echoed darkly "He got my sister pregnant! But what would _you _know about rape."It was condor's turn to echo him now.

"What would _I _know about rape?" Her gold eyes darkened "well _I_ know that is she wasn't pregnant, _you _would have never seen her again. My brother, the man who captured her, rapes and kills women with out even blinking about it. I was the only girl who he had raped and not killed" Tears formed in her eyes but wouldn't fall; she then barged past the shocked Sokka and away from all of them. Both Sokka and Zuko tuned to Katara as if asking if the girl was telling the truth.

Aang was simply walking, half relaxed and happy that Katara was safe and back. He turned around the corned and narrowly avoided the charging fire nation girl as she sped blindly along; tears were clearly running down her pasty face. Aang, only in curiosity followed the girl as she headed to the wall. Condor sat there silently, cold tears no longer wishing to freeze her pretty face, as avatar Aang walked up to be sure that she was okay. With air bending he landed quietly on there beside her. An elegant nod from the water bender told him that she realised that he was there and who he was.

"Avatar Aang." Condor acknowledged

"Why were you crying?" Asked the just teenage air bender looking at the side of her tear-stained face.

"Bad things. I don't want to talk about it though. But a walk always lifts my mood. I would find it a honor if you could walk with me" Suzu Eika leapt off of the wall, onto the cold ground outside of the little village. Aang grinned broadly.

"Sure!" The two people walked around in the icy lands, the sun was low in the clear sky. Condor told him about the Agni Kai with her brother and of the stories of her past. "Why are you called Condor?"

"A condor is a type of scavenging bird of prey found in coastal mountains of my home lands, but they had not been seen there for a long time before my birth." She began looking at Aang wisely "I, for an abnormally long time, was unable to speak as an infant. The day I first spoke was a relatively hot day on the mountains where I lived. I saw something flying above me, a big bird. Pointing at it got my, then 8 year old brother to see it. 'Bird, Suzu Eika. It's a bird. Say bird.' He tried to make me speak, with out any fruit at first. But I couldn't stop watching the bird. 'Condor' I knew exactly what the vulture bird was. 'That's not…' began my brother. But the more he looked at it, the more he remembered the images in the scrolls. 'Mata, Mata!' he ran back to our mother. 'Mata, it's a condor. And Suzu spoke! She knew it was a condor!' Mata then smiled at me, so I told her what I saw. 'Condor!' After that that's all they kept on calling me, Condor." She smiled down to Aang.

"Ah, yes. I remember that! How could I forget!" said a voice that Aang did not know but Condor clearly did. "Hello _Condor_, I have come to claim you and the stolen slaves back. And cause harm to the one who stole you three" the twenty year old man's eyes narrowed on his sister who was four years younger than himself.

"Well, you have just wasted your time for coming here! We stole our self's!" Snapped back the girl with a name like a bird of prey. Gouki's eyes narrowed even further.

"Then I shall just have to punish your little friend here" Condor stepped in front of Aang and glared with her most menacing force.

"You. Wouldn't. Dare!" Gouki smirked testing, and blasted a orb of fire at them. Suzu Eika pulled a wall of water in the path of the blast. "Run!" She whispered to Aang "Run and don't look back!" Aang stumbled away as fast as he cold, back to the village to warn the people.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The once close siblings stood opposite each other, the resemblance between the two was uncanny. Condor stood ready with a whip made of water in each hand, Gouki stood the same, but with fire whips in stead. Condor cracked the first attack, whipping at the side of his face. Gouki defended by bringing his own whip from the same hand against him. His cracked the counter attack at Condors bust, but she twisted her body away to evade it. Quickly she span and kicked, a blast of ice needles shot at him, but Gouki melted them with a well timed blast of fire. Suzu Eika punched the cold ground by her feet, and a column of ice shot up and entombed her brother. For just a moment, she though she had won. The column bust open as just hot water and Suzu had to use her water bending to stop herself from getting wet. Gouki smirked as he was perfectly dry. _The sun is still high in the sky_, Condor noted in her head, _and so long as it is, I can't defeat him with water bending. Unless…_ It was time for a special attack. For a moment, Suzu Eika focused her energy on her Chi, which didn't take her long as she had a lot of training to learn. She bended a wave of the partially compacted snow over her head and collapsed it down on herself. After a quick explosion of gold, the pile of ice moved, and two gold orbs glared from it at GoukiKuroihaato.

"Quick, Katara. I think Condor is in danger!" Cried Aang skidding into the room where she was. Katara looked up from the old scroll that she was reading. Zuko, who was also in the room reading another scroll, looked up in curiosity to.

"In trouble? Where?" Katara sprang to her feet.

"This way! This man came out of nowhere and I think he was after you, Condor and Rocci! We got to help her!"

"Why didn't you just you just help her your self. You are the avatar, after all." muttered Zuko, looking back down at the scroll. This earned a glare from Katara.

"Because... She...I..." Aang stuttered speachlessly, he wasn't entirely sure why he had run, but Condor's voice had seemed so sure and controlling. "I had to warn everyone" Katara walked a little towards Aang and asked him to take them to Condor. If the attacker was who Katara thought it was, then Condor may need some back up. The two teens ran out of the snow house and back towards were Aang last saw the water bender who saved his friend.

**Fwh-BOOM!** The loud explosion sounded like a giant rock had slammed into the ground. The two of them as well as the hand full of villagers that had followed them, charged faster towards the crash from where Aang had left Condor. He froze in his tracks when he arrived at the fight scene. A huge creature with bulky, muscular legs that seemed uunproportoinate to the overwelming size of the thing, broad sholders and long, powerful arms that ended in giant, three didget, hands. In the heart of the creature, apparently made of ice, was a pink mass spread out in a star shape with a hint of black at the top end, near the creatures round hill of a head. It roared with a voice that sounded partually like a monsters should be but with a familiar voice along with it, then swiped its hand across at Gouki. The fire bender leapt back elegently away from the brutal strength and punched a fist of fire at the back of the creatures hand, It screached out in agony and stumbled away from its attacker a little. For just a moment, the audience caught the beasts attention, it turned its powerful head towards them as the hole in its hand vanished, two golden orbs of glowing power seved the dutie as eyes. Gouki took advantage of the distraction and blasted fire at the pink blob in the midle of the giant opponent. The thing screamed loudly and the pink star at it center began to squirm about. The thing in the creature was human. A girl. It was Condor. Katara gasped as she watched her friend collapseto the flioor, every last ounce of energy was drained from her simple body. Condor's brother strode over to the teenage girl, who lay in a puddle of freezing slush, picked her up and launched her onto his strong sholder.

"Here is what I am going to do: I will take you back, sister, and you will be compleatly obediant, and I sware that I will never take another person agaist the laws of the lands again." Explaned Gouki, begining to walk away with her

"No!" she snapped horsly, beating at his back fruitlessly and weakly.

"It was not a deal, it was an order! And if any of your little friends here deside to follow us now, I will kill them crully" He said the last part loudly so that they cold all here him, Condor gasped and looked back at Katara, she then sighed submisivly and closed her golden eyes and agreed. Gouki then fasened his pace, taking his four years minor sister with him. Life was back on a low again, for Condor, with no chance of looking up.

Running into the Fire Lords study, the messanger waved a scroll in his hand.

"Your lordship, I have a message from the Avatar and prince Zuko!" Panted the young man, placing the small scroll on the beautiful desk that was infont of him.

"Thank you" Nodded Fire Lord Iroh, taking it and reading it. His eyes widened in supprise. "prepare a ship for me immediatly, we have found the one known as the Master." They had been looking for Master Gouki Kuroihaato for some time now, after hearing that he was abduting people and selling them as slaves illigaly, he immediatly came on the wanted list. Iroh rose from his seat and left for his chamber to ready himself for sailing again. His mind wondered back to his time in the army, then to the wild turky duck chaise that was his nephues quest for the avatar. The next thing that the old man remebered was what was said in the letter, one line in particular; Zuko had written 'his man is a treat to the avatar, my son and his mother.' When did Zuko have a son? Who was the mother? Presumably it was someone from the southern water tribe. But Zuko had not been there, or even looking for the nice miss Katara for nine months, it was almost six now. The smart, old man had a small but sudden idea of who the mother of his grand nephue could be, Katara sprang to mind. Iroh quickly got back to his chamber and wrote a reply to Zuko's important letter, telling they young man of his plan. The last thing on the letter, Iroh asked about Zuko's son slyly. He hand not even become Fire Lord yet, and the young prince Zuko already had a possible hair to the throne. Iroh smiled and ordered a servant to send the letter to the south pole on thier fastest Dragon Hawk.

Suzu Eika Kuroihaato slumped forward on the edge of her old bed in her old room, everything wals like it always was in there. The cot had been taken away, her clothes had been cleaned and the sheets changed. She ran her long fingers through the messy mop of bangs that had come out of her low, traditioal bun and sighed with her gold eyes closed. She missed the cold air of the south pole and the way the sun hit the snow at sunrise and made it glow. The childeren that came to watch her dancing with the element around her and wize words of the village elders. But most of all she missed little Rocci's innosent smiles, Katara's warm friendlyness and her new godsons cute ways. Freedom and hope came in second to those three.According to the captain, they were in Earth waters right now and were heading to the Fire Nation so that the crew may get to see thier family again for the month.It was coming up to a holiday in the fire nation so it was only fair. But Conor felt an air of darkness approching in her life. Somthing big was going to happen when they stepped of Fire Nation land.Somthing big and auful. She shuddered at the darkness and tried to push it away in her mind. Someone was going to die.

At the same time, Aang, Sokka, Katara, the newly collected Toph, Zuko plus two new members to the quaint gaang; Kazumi and Rocci. An odd expression spead into the young, novice earth bender that echoed the feeling inside of Zuko. It was Toph who said what they were all thinking in the end

"Someone is goning to die."

Iroh also felt the same impending darkness as the other two groups. A storm approched in the distance.

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**A/N: Woo another cliffi. Guess whats gonna happen, go on guess.**

**A/N: Couldn't have left Toph outta the story, now could I?**

**Thankees for erading so far u**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Condor crept along a dark hallway from her bedchamber. On-one but her self could be too sure of where the young lady was heading to on the huge, dark ship, but it was clear that she knew where she was heading. Suzu Eika headed to another cabin of the magnificent ship with an insignificant glimmer of hope in the amber eyes. She was looking for one thing in particular that hopefully resided in a lonely room at the far end of the corridor. When she found the room, she pushed at the door with a light prayer. It was unlocked! Peering into the dark room, she was met with a long missed sight. In the middle of the room, on a special made mat that prevented it from slipping when the waves were cruel, was a smallish piano made of a dark kind of wood. The simplistic instrument was small enough to fit through the door, and light enough for two men to lift, but it was still quite large against the more popular size for musical instruments. Condor lit the singular candle that was in the corner with the matches by it, and scooted onto the padded stool by the instrument. She sighed and ran her fingers gently along the ebony and ivory keys. She then began to play an old song with a half smile on her simple face.

"Sir, a fleet of large ships has been reported coming from the direction of the Fire Nation." Informed a messenger, stepping into the door of the Masters study. He looked up from the map he was studying and glared at the boy.

"What nation?" Asked Gouki testing. The messenger shrugged, and went to leave "Send for my sister." Ordered Gouki, before he had the chance.

"Yes, sir." The young messenger nodded over his shoulder. How on earth was he meant to find the master's sister? Sure, the young boy knew what she looked like, but he didn't know what room she was in. He could here a beautiful music coming from a room, but he chose to ignore it. Without realising it, the young man had followed the sweet sounds of the piano's song to a plane door on a lower level of the grand ship. He peered around the iron door and smirked victoriously. He had found the Master's sister. Her elegant features were in a state of sheer relaxation, and she was completely oblivious to the arrival of the messenger. Condor sung along to the sweet music quietly and softly, but her voice was still just audible above the hypnotic melody. The messenger did not wish for the music to end, but he still had to deliver his message, or what kind of messenger would he be? "Miss?" Condor stopped playing with a slight jump; she looked from her piano up to him. "Your brother wishes to see you." Suzu Eika nodded, all the relaxation that was previously on her face had vanished. She then rose from her seat, snuffed out the candle and left.

Once Suzu Eika was a happy, loving girl. But that was a long time ago. Before her mother fell ill, she wished to be a dancer at the palace, Condor had all of the training and encouragement that she needed from her family, even her father wanted her to dance. It was literally moments before her first dance in the palace when Gouki ran up to her group and told her that their mother was dieing. Condor tried not to cry, but she was only eight, and couldn't help herself. She wanted to stay and dance, like her mother wanted, but she also wanted to go to her mother, see her once more before she passed away. In the end, a chubby old man that smelled of tea told her to go. She never quite new who that nice old man was, but she hadn't been in the palace since her mother's death. The last words that Nina said to her children were that they should protect each other. Forever. Condor and her family then sold their home, after Nina's funeral, and lived on the slave ship where she lived now. She was only eleven when her father died under 'mysterious circumstances' and the entire family business was passed on to her fifteen year old brother. Condor had known for a long time that Fengge Kuroihaato had been murdered by his own son, Gouki Kuroihaato. No one else but the two siblings ever knew and ever would know. Almost three years later, on Condors fourteenth birthday, Gouki surprised her with her beloved piano. Back then, only brotherly love shone from the Masters gold eyes, but now only a unholy lust shone there in its place.

This study was once her fathers. Condor remembered the very carving that her father had blasted into the ironwork of the door in the intricate design of a rose vine. She herself had bended the water over it to cool it quicker and safer. Her mother loved roses. Condors slender fingers ran along the design and a small smile twitched onto her face. The door swung open quicker than she realised it.

"Condor? You came quicker than expected!" Smirked Gouki in his newer sinister way. Condor glared up at him whist her hands clenched at her sides. "Now, now, Condor. There is no need for giving me the evil eye!"

"I have all the need and right I wish to give you as many evils as I like." She growled back bitterly. He swept his hand by her face and tutted at her like she was just a small child. With a will to run away, but a deal to comply, the young water bender followed her older brother into the dim study. The door clicked closed behind them.

Early summer had to be the friendly Fire Lords favourite time of the year. He sat up on a chair that a soldier had brought up on deck for him with a cup of tea in his hand. It was jasmine. He sighed contentedly in the soft sun's heat and waited for the Avatar to land on the deck, just as he had promised in the letter. But no one had seen the avatars great sky bison as of yet, not even so much as the flying lemur had been sighted. No man was bothering to be on watch at that very moment. When the ship suddenly was rocked with a grand bang, the old Fire Lord turned his head to face the direction of the noise. Appa stood boldly in the middle of the deck, whilst Aang bounced off his back with a gush of air. Zuko slid off after him, and helped Katara off of Appa as well. In her dark arms was a little bundle of grey. She looked over to Iroh, who had got up to his feet to greet them, and smiled warmly. Iroh walked over to them and laughed merrily in his old fashion.

"Welcome!" He boomed boldly "And who is this then?" He smiled down to the tiny, smiling boy who babbled in Katara's arms. The baby gargled as Katara passed her son to his granduncle.

"This is Kazumi, Iroh, mine and Zuko's son." She smiled proudly in reply. Behind her, Rocci had attempted to imitate Aang by jumping off of the back of Appa. But instead of landing elegantly on her feet, as Aang had done, she landed flat on her face with a loud 'oomph' and a bang. Katara snapped her brown head around to look at the small girl in shock. Much to Katara's relief, Rocci rolled onto her back and started to laugh a sweet but snort filled laugh. This was the first time she had actually heard the untrained earth bender laugh. "That's Rocci; she was one of the slaves with me. She's sort of become my adopted daughter."

"Wonderful!" Beamed Iroh simply. He then began to walk towards the door that leads below deck. "Come, we have a plan to discuss!"

Condor knew she was a smart girl, and she knew that she was quite powerful, but she never fully understood why her brother would do the terrible things he did to her. She lent over the side of the metal monster of a boat and taunted a wave up higher towards her as she thought hard of her problems. If she ever escaped, she would dedicate her life to saving people from the evils of the slave trade and the evil that her own brother condemned on her. The day had suddenly turned oddly foggy and stuffy over an hour ago, but the warm moisture in the air relaxed Condor where it tensed Gouki and the other fire benders on the ship. Running a hand through her wet hair, the girl with the name of a scavenger bird continued to toy with the sea. On the other side of the ship, Gouki paced tensely. He had taken his shirt off in from the heat but still let none too near him. Suddenly, the avatar's flying bison burst through the thick fog and landed mere feet from the young adult.

"I told you not to come." Snarled Gouki Kuroihaato to the person on Appa's back, instantly presuming it as Aang.

"No." Snapped Zuko, sliding from between the great creatures horns. "You told Katara and the Avatar not to come, not me. I am here to place you under arrest on accounts of abduction, murder, and other crimes against the nation." The firebender snorted at the prince.

"_You_ can't arrest me. There is only one of you and many men to protect me." The younger fire bender laughed, at that moment the thick fog vanished into the sea. Only a few lengths away were an entire fleet of Fire Nation ships. Standing at the very front of the closet ship was the water bender Katara. Even from the far distance, a victorious grin was painted on her elegant face. "No!" Whispered the cruel older brother of Condor. "NO!" Condor stood half paralysed in shock at the other end of the ship from her brother. Was she about to be free of her evil brother? She did feel quite foolish for not seeing that the thick for was only steam kept up by Katara. Then one of the ships steamed up beside the Kuroihaato family ship and docked on to it.

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**A/N: Sorry it took so long, just haven't been timed well lately.**


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Running up on to the deck of Condors ship, Katara smiled at her friend frozen on the other end of the wooden deck. Condor smiled weekly back at her, but still remained frozen on the spot where she stood as a squad of solders piled onto to deck of her father's ship. They tried to hold Gouki, but he retaliated with an arsenal of fire attacks. But, being that the other men were fire benders or had spent a lot of time with them, his attacks were just blocked. Eventually the evil man was held back and it was safe for Iroh to walk up on board. He stood before the captured man and spoke in a clear, firm voice.

"You, Gouki Kuroihaato, are under arrest for crimes against the fire nation for over five years. On accounts of abduction, theft, treason, miss-use of power, assault and murder. You and your crew will be taken to the fire nation where your punishment will be decided." In the background, Condor gasped. She knew that for those crimes, her last living relative would be sentenced to death. Gouki was dragged onto the Fire Lord's ship by the many men holding him back and locked into the boat's prison cell. The old Fire Lord scowled at the vanishing prisoner then walked over to Katara with a smile on his face. "Well done, Katara, for keeping that steam up so long by yourself, we wouldn't have been able to capture him otherwise. And who is this young lady?"

"My name is Suzu Eika Kuroihaato, your lordship. But I am better known as Condor." Suzu Eika bowed low to the Fire Lord. In an odd way, she recognised him. "Sir, are you the man who helped me with a problem I had many years ago? When I was to dance in your palace when I was eight?" Thought made the Fire Lord, he then broke out in a smile.

"Ah, yes. The lovely girl who had to leave early. What happened to your mother?"

"She…Died. Father died too." Her gold eyes diverted from his with a hint of old pain in them. "No-one knows why Father died…" _lie! _A voice spat in her head, _that is a stupid worthless lie, Condor. And you know it._ Condor flinched invisibly at the sound of the voice and another thought. Was it not illegal to lie to the Fire Lord or any king, for that matter? Condor bit her lip and was about to speak when the Fire Lord spoke before her.

"Would you like to join us for tea?" She nodded and smiled weakly, even though she had never had tea in her life. Condor did tell him that though. With a cough, the eccentric Fire Lord exclaimed "NEVER HAD TEA!" the water bender from the fire nation cringed brightly as sever men looked over with expressions varying from annoyance to surprise to humour. Condor laughed it falsely of and followed after Iroh.

Smiling and sipping the sweet liquid, Condor thought over the event of that day. Moments before, she had tried to drink the tea too quickly, which resulted in a burnt tongue and a silly yelp that made baby Kazumi giggle. She couldn't quite remember what type of tea Iroh said it was, nor did it really bother her. It was sweet, calming, tasty and quite nice to just look at, and that's all that mattered to her for now. Maybe one day she would try lots of other teas, maybe make her own one. Condor's temporal attention then switched to the teapot that sat in the centre table. With a slight twitch of the wrist, she created her trademark bird, the condor, in the steam and made it fly about the room.

"Don't show off, Condor." Scalded Katara, without looking at her. Childishly, Condor stuck her tongue out at her then picked up her tea and sipped at it inelegantly.

In two more days time, the fleet would arrive in at the fire nations main docks. Apparently that night was music night. Condor sat on her own on the deck of her families ship on an empty crate in the shadows. She could here the laughter and the music and the joy of the people joining the festivities on Fire Lord Iroh's ship. For old times sake, she wore her armour that she wore in the war. The genuine silver breastplate was sculpted perfectly to her curved form and the thick leather in smoky red matched it in power neatly. The built in wrist and ankle pods contained ice that stayed frozen with sub-conscious water bending. Her hair was in its same, un-neat style, and she wore no helmet on her head.

"Miss. Kuroihaato. Would you care to join us for music night?" Asked Iroh walking onto her ships deck. Condor shock her head. She didn't feel like dancing today, she didn't sing and the only instrument she could play was her piano. That is what she told him. "Okay. I'll send someone to bring it up on to my ship." He smiled to her and called for some men. Condor led them to the dark room where her piano was and they got it up on deck quite simply. However, getting on to Iroh's ship was a different matter. The board that connected the two ships was only thin and the piano was a lot bigger than it. But Condor had a plan. She bended a bridge of ice from the sea between the ships and added a rough texture for safety. Placing a booted foot on her bridge of ice, she slid it back and forth, testing its friction and grip. When contented with its safety she flung a thumbs up behind her and aloud them to push the instrument on to the other ship. The rest of the night was fun for her.

It was four in the morning and the sun had not risen yet. Condor snuck around the Fire Lords ship seeking out its brig. She slipped passed the guards and scanned each cell.

"You're up late, Condor" Growled Gouki from his prison. The teen walked up to her brother's cell and stood in front of him.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came to see you." She said flatly, running her hand over her hair.

"I heard you playing your piano earlier, on this ship."

"How can you be so certain it was me?" Gouki shook his head and his eyes ran un-shyly down her body. He then slipped his strong arm through the bars and cupped the back of her head in his hand. Pulling her closer to his cage till her metal covered bust was pressed against the cages cold bars, he forced another kiss onto her lips. Condor pushed away from him in shock. "No... I've got to tell you that tomorrow we'll be arriving in the Fire Nation. You most likely have only a handful of days to live so I'd think about what I had done, if I were you." Condor then turned and walked out of the room in silenced sadness.

All were donned in formal robes for the trial of Gouki Kuroihaato. He stood in front of Fire Lord Iron with a steely blankness in his expression.

"For the murder of many, abduction, rape, stealing and crimes against the Fire Lord, I order you as guilty as charged. You shall be burned at the stake until dead in three days time." Gouki struggled in anger as the guards dragged him away in an odd silence. His sister stood plainly in his view in a blank state, she was blatantly trying not to have any emotion an the Fire Lords judgement. This was never one of her stronger qualities. Both siblings knew that now there ancient line would end and there name vanish. No more of the Kuroihaato Slave trade. On Sunday he was to die.

When Gouki and Condor next saw each other, it was the night before Gouki's execution. The guards had been sent away by Condor and the silence was very loud. Gouki was the one to brake it.

"Condor?" His started softly. "I'm sorry for all of the people I've hurt and lives I've wrecked. Especially yours. I've been thinking a lot whilst I've been locked up."

"I know, Gouki. But why? Why couldn't you see earlier. Even if it was only when the Fire Lord first arrested you? Why couldn't you see it then?" Whimpered Condor desperately. She wished for him to live, almost as much as he himself.

"I was dumb and blinded, Condor. Blinded by the beautiful young lady that you became." He lifted his hand through the bars and cupped it on the cheek. "You are wise, caring, beautiful and so very, very strong. And I fell so weak to lust. I needed you, my angelic sister." Gouki's hand moved around to the back of her neck and he pulled her face close to his. To the pint of her nose brushing his. "I need you to be all mine..." His voice faded away as Condors had completely vanished. With a final pull, he kissed he gently on the lips. "Grant me one final time, Suzu Eika. Just one final time before I die. Please." He concluded softly. Condor was utterly confused. It was her way to grant a dieing man his final wish, and this was Gouki's. But he wished for her to giver herself willingly to him. It was either to be unfair on him, or to be cruel to herself. In the end, her decision was made. She slipped the key from her belt and unlocked the door, slipping in and locking it again behind her. "Thank you, Condor..."

Condor and Rocci walked side by side, recollecting those recent events in silence. Condor had left the court yard where her brother had only just been killed and headed to the crew of the ship that was now hers. That ship, called the DarkSwan, was then given to the captain. Her piano was presented to Iroh, with instructions of how to play it, and the interesting artefacts from Condors cabin had been given to Katara. The blanket was now fully Kazumi's. Turning to the young earth bender, she told her.

"There is nothing that I can give you, Rocci, other than your freedom and a promise. I swear that I will work to free the slaves and end the evil that is slave labour." Rocci smiled up to her wise friend.

"And to make sure you keep it, I'm sticking with you." She smiled and Suzu Eika smiled back, she then straightened herself and her armour out and faced the old friend of her family, Captain Ben.

"As a last order, I want you to free all of our slaves. Take them back to there homes. If they have no homes, find them one. Okay?" She ordered. Ben saluted at her and smiled. With that Condor and Rocci left, taking only a small amount of money and many amazing memories.


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue

Today was a special day in both the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes. Today was the tenth birthday of crowned prince Kazumi, son of Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara. He sat on a comfortable throne to the right of his fathers, in the grand throne room, whist a group of circus performers showed their famous act. Apparently, this very group use to chase his parents when his father was banished. Then they bowed to the large audience and left to the applause. The next act on, he didn't recognise, and nether, apparently, did either of her parents. On the performance floor was a woman, around her mid-twenties. Her entire body was hidden behind loose robes and her face was covered by a silk mask. Only by the black bun and golden eyes could he tell that she was fire nation blood. Several large vases of both boiling and freezing water was carried in by the servants and placed along the edges of the floor. Another, younger lady in grass coloured armour stood on the sides as well, her face too was covered by a mask, but one made of wood instead. They both waited in silence for the cheering to stop and the music to start.

After a moment of quiet, the older lady bowed to the royalty, and the music began. It started slowly and softly, which her movements mirrored, like a gentle breeze. Suddenly she snapped to face the first two vases, and the music turned aggressive. She pulled two snakes of water out of the vases, one of scalding heat the other of deathly cold, and danced angrily with them, like the Kyoshi warriors. The girl on the sidelines suddenly threw a glass ball into the air and the dancer caught it with the whips, casing light to beam out everywhere from the fires in the room. It looked quite spectacular. Then the music went quiet, and she handed the orb back to her helper. Then she bended the water back into the vases. When the music was louder again, it had a calming tone with a beat to it. The lady in silk called scalding water from another pot and bended it over her, transforming it into a giant creature with an elegant form. Gold orbs in the dome head played as eyes. It danced to the calm music like a leaf in the wind, and as the music transformed to violence again, so did she. She pounced into the air, still entombed in the monster like costume and landed on the ground on one fist. With a kick towards the royals she bended the costume back into the vase and started to just bend the steam as the music became elegant again. It became a bird that Katara sworn she had seen somewhere before. Somewhere a long time ago. With all of the attention on her silk-donned comrade, no one noticed the armoured girl preparing some rocks. The steam birds suddenly became water and the armoured girls sharp rocks joined them, turning them from elegant looking to sinister. They quickly dove at Katara making her jump and hide slightly behind her husbands arm. Zuko couldn't help but smirk just a little. As suddenly as they came, the stone and water birds returned to the vases and the two benders stood in the middle of the floor.

Katara couldn't bear to pull her sky blue eyes away from the unknown pair before them. Who were they? Somewhere deep down inside of the Fire Lords wife, she felt a twang of reconsideration. Those friendly gold eyes and the others olive ones. It was also those movements, her forms that Katara recognised.

"Who are you?" Asked Zuko, voicing out Katara's own question.

"I think, great Fire Lord, that both of you truly know who we are. For whom else looking like me can bend?" asked the elder of the two. After a moment of thought, Katara tried to answer her own question.

"…Condor?" She questioned, just above a whisper.

"Correct!" Suzu Eika cried out, ripping off the silk that covered the lover half of her face with a laugh. "Fantastic to see you in person, K. After all of these years! I see you've got rid of the slaves!" Katara just laughed

"Mom, Who are they?" Asked Kazumi nervously. Looking at the old friends of her mother.

"Ah! You must be Kazumi. I haven't seen you since you were a baby." Smiled the waterbender brightly. "I would love the opportunity to get to know you properly." Condor then bowed to the young prince again.

"Now Condor, there is no need for such formalities with us." Scorned Katara, playfully. The other lady giggled behind her wooden mask. "And it can be considered rude of you not to reveal yourself, young one."

"Yes, ma'am." Smiled the other. She then pulled off the mask, which resembled the Blue Spirits, and smiled at her. It was Rocci! Katara swept from her seat and hugged the earth bender girl.

"You've grown so much. You look so pretty!" Cooed Katara "Where did you get that armour?" The armour she wore resembled the one that Condor had left in twenty years ago, but in oranges and greens instead of reds and blues.

"Condor had an old friend in the Fire Nation who makes women's armours. He, I believe, made Azula's and Condor's as well." Explained Rocci with a nod. "With our job finished now and slave labour over, I and Condor has time to spare. Can we stay with you for a while? Because I've missed you." Beside her, Condor smiled proudly. Once Rocci was too frightened of people to ask for anything, but now she was asking the wife of the Fire Lord if they could stay in the palace? Even Condor wasn't that bold!

"I would love you to stay. Both of you! I've missed you two as well."

The palace was grand and beautiful. But still nothing on sleeping under the stars on a beautiful, clear night. Condor was exploring it by herself. She wore a pair of trousers normally worn in an Agni Kai and a short robe. Men's clothes were far more comfortable and better than the decorative gowns women wore. She always thought that all girls should be free to wear trousers in place of dresses. Her hair was messy as it always was. Just like her brothers. Even though Gouki Kuroihaato was evil, she still missed him, in all of his generosity and playfulness. He was so much nicer prior to the death of Mata. Both times before hand that she entered there before hand, someone died. Lazily, she pushed on the large door of a random room in the palace. It was bright in there from the light of a large window facing east. The room was relatively small, on comparison to the rest of the rooms in the palace, and decorated with sections of all four elements. Nothing much was in the simple room apart from the piano in the centre of the room. It took a moment for her to recognise it as hers. Condor ran her elegant fingers along the top of the piano and then, ever so gently, along the smooth keys. It had faded the slightest bit, showing that it was frequently used and old. Little did she realise that this room was a memorial to the late Fire Lord Iroh, who died in that very room, with a cup of tea in his hand. Old but sweet music began to pour from the piano as she played music that her fingers and her heart knew only too well. Some, who heard the music, thought it was the cheerful ghost of the loved Fire Lord.

For the remainder of there lives, the two girls travelled between the South Pole and the fire nation. Happy and free as the birds.

**Finis**

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A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I'd like to thank aniek90 and Xannijn for all of the encoragement along the way.

A sequal is here : A Slave and a Wave 2: Time Will Tell All. Go check it out when it comes up.


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